Record Keeping in Schools

SCHOOL RECORD

School records include books, documents, diskettes, and files that contain information on what goes on in school as well as other relevant information pertaining to the growth and development of the school.

IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING

1. Accountability

• Record keeping is vital to an education system’s information cycle as a whole, because of its fundamental role in the process of efficient information production and collection.
• School records are an important means of accountability because they provide proof.

2. Decision Making

• School records help school administrators to make decisions.
• Records provide raw data that enable coherent, balanced and objective decisions on issues such as promotion, student and staff discipline, and teaching and learning performances.

3. Employment: 

• Properly kept records on the human resources serve useful employment and planning related purposes.

4. Information Bank:

• Records kept in schools serve as an information bank from which school administrators can recall information as needed.

5. Planning:

• Accurate data assists educational planners to identify areas of need that should be addressed or accorded priority attention.

6. Student Academic Achievement and Behavior:

• Certificates and testimonials are issued to graduating students to show how they performed during their studies.

Registers and Books to be maintained  

The following registers and books are required to be maintained under Article 42 of the Punjab Education Code, and Dastoor-ul-Amal as well as other prevailing rules and instructions of the School Education Department issued from time to time.

1. Related to o/o Head of Institution

• Punjab Education Code. The book should be available in school library.

• Order Book:     For necessary orders, instructions, important information etc. 

Log Book (For schools only):  For reporting comments/ remarks/ opinion by the inspection officers of the department.

Log Book for Official Vehicle: Use for Govt. Vehicles- Car, Jeep, Tractor, Bus,   motorcycle etc, showing purpose of use and utilization of petrol/diesel/CNG- meter reading.

Visitor’s Book: For writing of opinion, comments, remarks by officers other than inspection officers of School Education Department, political personalities, other dignitaries, officers from other departments

Movement Register: For writing of movement of Head Teachers and Staff Members if they leave the school during duty hours.

Teachers Attendance Register: The attendance shall be recorded regularly and punctually. Arrival and Departure – time with signatures/ initial but not in capital words.

Casual Leave Account Register: Record of casual leaves taken by staff members.

Conduct and Punishment Register: (Article 43) Remarks need only be entered in this register when a student is commended for special merit / special report / reward etc. or    punished for misbehavior / breach of discipline        (Article 13 &14 Punjab Education Code)

Property Register / Permanent Stock Register/Assets Register: For permanent stock, i.e. furniture, admirals ceiling fans etc. annual physical verification (DPI(SE) Punjab No. 49171/G-1 dated 20-04-1994) Ist week of July of every year, auction of breakage material with the approval of competent authority.

Documentation regarding land of school from Revenue department

“No articles may be struck off the property register of an elementary school and no book removed from the register of library books unless previously condemned as unfit far further use by the District Education Officer. Other institutions will be governed by the Delegation of Power Rules(Financial) in force. Condemned articles shall be sold by public auction and the proceeds credited to the relevant fund /Govt. Treasury.                                      (Article 8 Punjab Education Code.)

Teachers / Employees Personal Files: Containing complete service record.  Service Books of the Officials remain in custody of DDO or Controlling Officers.  Record of PERs/ACRs should be maintained.

Correspondence Registers:       

a) Receipt Register/ Diary Register        b)  Dispatch Register         

both registers should be maintained accurately and properly day to day– checking by the officers.      

c)  Peon Book – Delivery of Dak.

Supervisory Diary of Head Teacher: Inspection of classes / checking of teacher’s diaries / checking of various affairs / personal notes etc.

Daily Attendance Register (Roz namchah): Enrolment of students- present, absent etc.

Scholarship Register: Scholarships on the basis of 5th, 8th and 10th class examination, complete particulars.

1. Register related to Finance

Cash Book: cheques / amounts received from Govt. treasury.

1st page income / Receipts

2nd page Payments.

Acquaintance Roll: Receipt of amount by staff members – fixing of revenue stamps- signature or thumb impression.

Contingent Grants Register: Letter No, and date, amounts sanctioned, expenditure along with relevant file of documents / receipts.

Contingent Stock Register: Stationery and other consumable articles

Pay Rolls / Pay Bills: Computerized / Manual Bills for salaries of all teaching and non teaching staff.

G.P. Fund Register: Record of G.P Fund deductions of staff members.

F.T.F Register and School Council proceeding / Meeting Register and Related Record / Pasting file.

(C)  Students Record

Admission and Withdrawal Register: Name of the students, Father’s name and date of birth should be entered accurately and properly.

Admission forms pasting files

School Leaving Certificates

Students Attendance Register: Daily attendance both times, no column of attendance register should be left blank, entries of funds etc.

Examination Register--- result of students --- progress report

(D) Teacher’s Record

Teacher’s Diary: Lesson plan, particular of students, personally notes etc.

Library Register/ Digital Library: Record of books available in library, Maps, Drawing, Photographs, Microfilms, Sound recordings, Electronic devices, Cds, Educational films etc. 

Library issue Register: Books issued to the students and teachers

Stock Registers (Consumable Articles): Science Laboratory, Sports, Miscellaneous.

(E) General Registers

Tree Register--- auction of trees ---- in consonance of Forest Department through School Council--- Amount be deposited in Provincial Consolidated Fund. • (Guide lines for cutting of trees in schools--- • Letter no. SO(SE-1) 8-4/2006 dated 8-2-2007)  

Bazam-i-Adab & other Societies / Clubs: Boy Scouting, Girls Guiding, Dramatic Society, Environment Club, Parents Teachers Association etc.

Time Table: Teacher’s time table Class time table Leave arrangement– temporary time table

Record of Universal Primary Education (UPE): Record of School going age Children, Record of Kids.

Universal Secondary Education (USE)

Record of Distribution of Free Books

Directory of School: History of school, situation of school, UC/PP/NA numbers, list of Headmasters/ Headmistress, list of teachers, Detail of Co-curricular activities, results of SSC/ Middle standard / Primary Standard, Enrolment of Students, feeding schools, detail of school land etc.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING

The importance of record keeping in schools according to Olgboye Cited in Olararenwaji (2009) includes;

1. It tells the history of the school

2. It facilitates continuity in the school administration

3. It facilitates and enhances the provision of effective guidance and counseling service for students in the social career domains.

4. Provides information needed on ex-students by higher and other related institution and employers of labour for admission or placement.

5. Facilitate the supply of information to parents or guardians for effective monitoring of the progress of their children in school or performance.

6. Provides data needed for planning and decision making by school authority

7. Provide a basis for the objective assessment of the state of teaching and learning in the school, including staff and students performance by supervisors and inspectors.

8. Provide information for the school community, the general public, employers, and researchers for the advancement of knowledge.

9. It ensures that the school head keeps strictly to the education regulations.

10. School records can be used as reference materials for both the teachers and the administrators.

ABUSES OF SCHOOL RECORDS

Sometime according to Aleiyideino, Sc et a! (2000:79) some school abuse records keeping by:

1. Non availability of records:- They do not keep such records and cannot produce same when the need arise.

2. Problem of storage:- Some school have these records but are not properly stored according to subject matter.

3. Ignorance on the part of head teachers:- Some head teachers are not even aware of the importance of records keeping in school or how to even keep these records.

4. Poor Supervision by Head teacher or supervisor:- Some Head teachers do not keep records because nobody request for such records.

5. If the information given is false or incomplete, it cannot give us accurate information needed.